In pictures: Althea Projects’ 50th anniversary celebration

The Townsville community dusted off their flared jeans, fluoro shirts and platform shoes and partied through the decades to celebrate Althea Projects’ 50th Anniversary Gala at Rydges Southbank.

Michelle Gibbs, Rachael Bolger and Sharon Emmerson at Althea Projects’ 50th Gala celebrations at Rydges Townsville

The Townsville community dusted off their flared jeans, fluoro shirts and platform shoes and partied through the decades to celebrate Althea Projects’ 50th Anniversary Gala at Rydges Southbank.

A dedicated organisation that is committed to making a positive impact, Althea Projects currently delivers and supports a diverse array of programs.

These include two residential services, specifically for children under 12; a fostering and kinship program that recruits, trains and supports foster and kinship carers and a homelessness service that supports people who are homelessness or at risk of homelessness.

Althea Projects Inc. CEO Paula La Rosa said guests were taken back in time, with the start of the night focusing on the 70s, where guest speaker Mike Reynolds, who was Deputy Mayor and then Mayor in the early days of the implementation of the inaugural service Wee Care, spoke about how the service came about, due to a need being identified to support children and families after Cyclone Althea devastated Townsville on Christmas Eve 1971.

Mr Reynolds, honoured Joan Innes Reid, the hospital social worker at the time, who worked tirelessly to find a sustainable solution for children to be safely cared for when their parents were temporarily unable to care for them.

This saw the start of Althea Projects Wee Care service.

Paula said Althea Projects’ future vision included exploring how the organisation could expand its services at Wee Care, which might result in needing a separate building or expanding existing premises to deliver support services to children and families.

“Our future will also capitalise on any opportunities where we can respond to needs and expand our foster and kinship and homelessness services.”

Along with raising some much funds to support our services, through the silent auction and lucky dip party bags, other goals of the 50th Anniversary Gala event was to celebrate and get the organisation’s name and what we do more known in the community.

Paula said the event exceeded her expectations, with more than 190 people attending.

The event was partnered by Whaites + Co the naming rights sponsor.

To find out more about how Althea Projects supports the community, go to altheaprojects.org.au

Tom Holt and Megan Elliott PICTURES: Phil Copp Photos

Rebecca and Barry Kasner

Les Walker and Kaylene Walker

Duncan Menzies and David Morris

Tom Freeland and Deb Roberts

Leah and Ashley Darwen

Jess Whaites and Paula La Rosa

Gabrielle Harms and Craig Christianson

Wendy Saunders and Erica Hall

Ash Horton and Steven Marsilio

Back row: Glenn Seri, Alan Newman, Mary Stevenson, Rachel Weller, Julie McTaggart, Caitlin Berryman, Evie Chellingworth, Paula La Rosa. Front row: Ross Girgenti and Uncle Brenton Creed

Back row: Erleice Smith, Hayley McIntosh, Danielle Hodder, Julie Inskip, Julie Teakle, Emily Gleeson. Middle: Kristy Browning. Front: Gillian Ruddell

Crystal Vas (Emcee)

Robert and Raelene MacGregor

Gayle Kingston, Leonie Attlee, Paul Maccarone and Kerrin Maccarone

Althea Michelle Gibbs, Rachael Bolger and Sharon Emmerson

Lee Wright

David Tucker, Paula La Rosa and Thomas Allsop

Wayne Gosling and Lucia Gosling, Sam Spina and Kerry Spina

Back row: Tracey Mains, Daniel Mains, Paul Gibson, Kylie Schneider, Adam Waixal, Noela Lorimer, John Lorimer, and Dave McIlvride. Front row: Lisa-Marie Gibson and Leannie McIlvride

Back row: Kristy Jensen, Louise Skennerton, Tash Henderson, Paula La Rosa. Front row: Lee-Anne Whalley and David Morris

Jess Masterson, Bryani Raymond, Jess Whaites, Matt Rushton and Jess Lester

Paula La Rosa and Jackie Avery

Originally published as In pictures: Althea Projects’ 50th anniversary celebration